Iraq Loses Third of Fighters vs. ISIS

Three large Shiite militia groups quit the fight against ISIS in Tikrit on Thursday, leaving Iraq without as much as a third of its forces as U.S. planes prepped for a second day of airstrikes.

“We don’t trust the American-led coalition in combating ISIS,” said a spokesman for one of the three groups. “In the past, they have targeted our security forces and dropped aid to ISIS by mistake.”

Another group’s leader also voiced displeasure with the Americans’ involvement, saying, “We don’t need the American-led coalition to participate in Tikrit. Tikrit is an easy battle, we can win it ourselves.” Read more at The New York Times.